Queso Fundido
Make Queso Fundido: molten cheese with spicy chorizo ready in minutes, perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 1 lb. Mexican chorizo, beef or pork ($2.64)
- 20 oz. queso quesadilla, shredded ($5.51)
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and Prep the Proteins and Cheese
Preheat the oven to 300°F, then remove the chorizo from its casing if it has one and break the links into rough bite-size pieces; grate the queso quesadilla on the largest holes of a box grater so the shreds are long and stretchy. Take a small glass jar for the tablespoon of cooking oil and a shallow matte ceramic bowl to hold the shredded cheese—keep everything neat on the painted white pine surface while you move to the pan.
Step 2: Render the Chorizo Until Glossy and Crumbly
Heat an oven-safe cast iron skillet on medium heat (then place it back on the table for photography); add the tablespoon of oil and cook the loose chorizo pieces until the fat renders and the meat becomes deeply browned and bubbly, about 7–8 minutes—look for glossy amber fat beads, crisped edges, and crumbly bite-sized morsels. Drain most of the fat from the skillet, leaving a small satin sheen; reserve three tablespoons of the cooked chorizo crumbles in the ceramic bowl for garnish and, while everything is still warm, mound the grated queso over the hot chorizo so the shreds sit on top, ready to melt.
Step 3: Melt the Cheese to a Bubbly, Golden State
Slide the skillet (now topped with the piled cheese) into the preheated oven just long enough for the cheese to collapse, melt into a smooth molten layer and begin to bubble—aim for a glossy, stretchy surface with small golden-brown spots and occasional darker caramelized dots where the cheese kisses the cast iron. The transformation should read as molten, elastic cheese draping over pockets of dark, savory chorizo beneath, a unified molten surface that smells of spice and toasted dairy.
Step 4: Rest, Garnish, and Serve Immediately
Remove the skillet to a heat-proof trivet on the painted white pine surface, scatter the reserved crispy chorizo crumbles over the bubbling cheese, and let it sit just a moment so the top settles into shining rivulets of molten cheese. Serve straight away with a scattering of crisp tortilla chips and a small bowl of salsa if you like; the final image captures the skillet centered, cheese molten and slightly overflowing, garnished and ready to dip.
Notes
- Use a box grater for long, stretchy cheese shreds.
- Reserve a few crispy chorizo crumbles to garnish.
- Reheat gently at 300°F to restore creaminess.
- Swap with Oaxaca cheese or mozzarella mix if needed.
- Drain most chorizo fat but leave a bit for flavor.